


Gothic romance

by DearDiary



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Introspection, Mentions of Abusive Relationships, Missing Scene, Phantom of the Opera - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:20:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26516614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DearDiary/pseuds/DearDiary
Summary: A movie night turns into a sullen night as Rose starts acting strange after Jack's simple question.
Relationships: Ninth Doctor/Rose Tyler, The Doctor (Doctor Who)/Rose Tyler
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something that came to my mind after reading an article about romanticising mental ans physical abuse in the Phantom of the Opera. I love the book, I adore the movie, though the point still stands - I'm glad Christine didn't stay with Erik.

It was a quiet nice evening on board of the TARDIS. Rose was feeling a little down after a fever she’s suffered through, and Jack couldn’t find it in him to decline her offer to stay in instead of visiting a planet Entertainia in Syryllia Galaxy. 

After a brief conversation between the team it turned out that Jack has never seen The Phantom of the Opera movie. Although it was hardly a “comfort” movie, it was decided that Mr. Harkness needed to be educated in that area. 

“It’s classic.” Doctor said. At Rose’s astonished look he elaborated. “There are at least 38 variations of this movie by the end of the year 2328. Yet the 2004 one is still the most loved. Awfully consistent, you lot. Watch and re-watch same things all the time.” 

Rose stuck her tongue out at him. 

Doctor rolled his eyes. 

Jack smiled good-naturedly. 

The movie was watched in a relaxed silence. The usual placings on a movie night in the TARDIS were something like these: Doctor and Rose were on a sofa in front of the TV and Jack was languishing on a chair on the left, near the fireplace. It was an unspoken rule that Doctor and Rose should never be divided on the movie nights (or reading nights, or wordless nights after an adventure where not everybody could live). Jack respected that rule as much as he wondered at the nature of the relationship between Doctor and Rose. 

Doctor would surely say that there is no relationship. Well, except the platonic one. 

Rose would avert her eyes demurely and change the subject swiftly. 

Jack would purse his lips in amusement. 

It’s the end of the movie, and everyone is silent by the time the credits start to roll. Jack doesn’t mind the sullen atmosphere and quietness that seems to swallow the library and the trio. Quite the movie they’ve watched. Rose is suspiciously silent apart from the little sniffles that erupt from her. Doctor is grim, his eyes shine gloomy in the firelight. The TARDIS is ever so thoughtful of her companions: the lights don’t switch on like they usually do at the end of the movie, making everyone who possess any emotions hide their eyes in shame for being too soft. Jack never understood that, but it was something the people from Rose’s time did. 

He could understand why Doctor would never show any emotions. The older man was their leader, he was a survivor and a protector of all who would seek his protection (and those who will not – Jack and Rose both knew that Doctor had a soft side to him, and this side was often shown to Rose in particular. Hell, Jack thought, she is probably the only reason why Doctor had a soft side at all.) So, the one and only pilot of the magnificent TARDIS had to keep himself in check, so that’s clear. 

Then what was the reason behind Rose’s reluctance to show her feelings? Was she afraid to appear a lesser human in comparison to both of them, Doctor and Jack? Did she think that would make her weak, showing her vulnerability like that? Was she afraid that Doctor would see her as a liability? But that was just plain crazy. 

Jack knew little about true love for he had yet to experience anything more than a fleeting crush during his eventful life. But he has seen the look in Doctor eyes – the Time Lord was deeply infatuated with the human girl. Yes. The word fits perfectly – it is somehow sweeter than a simple “to fall in love”. So how could Rose even think that Doctor would think less of her? It seemed that her emotions and the ability to revive them in the Time Lord was one of the reasons he fell for her. 

Rose shifted on a sofa, stretching her arms above her head. 

Doctor sneaked a glance at the soft flesh of her belly that became visible when the shirt had risen with the girl’s movements. 

Jack smirked knowingly. Those fools! 

And Rose. She was no better! She was all but fawning over Doctor. She was head over heels with this man. She tried to persuade everyone around her that her and Doctor were completely platonic – which they probably were, Jack mused – the tension in the room with these two was cracking like a bunch of exposed wires. Mind you, the tension was nothing like the one they speak about in cheap novels and popular movies. It was something else entirely. It was sexual yet full of innocence, it was timid and bright, visible to everyone around. Jack wasn’t the only one to notice that. Jackie did, too, as did Mickey. The former was far from pleased that his Rose was stolen abruptly by a man who fell from the sky – literally! - but Mickey was pleased that Doctor was jealous of him. 

Foolish Doctor – Mickey never stood a chance – even when Doctor was acting like a complete jerk towards Rose. A girl just can’t say no to a bloke like Doctor – and what’s there to say “no” to? He was charismatic. He wasn’t handsome in a classic way, but he was the owner of the most intense kind of beauty, and his eyes were that perfect shade of baby blue every woman could fall for. And Rose was there with all the fallen women. He was jaded, but kind, gruff, but could love like it’s his last day on Earth. 

And Rose? No better, she was. My God, Jack starts to sound like Doctor. So, Rose. The sunniest human being Jack has ever met. Had met. There’s no way there is someone as bright, lively and special as Doctor’s Rose. And this girl thought she wasn’t good enough for the Time Lord. The Captain has seen the venomous jealousy in her eyes when all women were drawn to Doctor. She was almost buzzing with resentment, she let it eat her from inside, but she nary let herself be hostile and spiteful to these women. If Jack had to choose a word to describe Rose with – it would be “compassion”, for she would never turn a blind eye to someone’s hurt and trouble. 

The word for Doctor? Well, funnily enough, “physician”. For he could mend anyone and anything in this world (apart from himself). But that’s Rose’s cue. 

The silence stretched long enough, and Jack couldn’t stand it any longer. These two were so sweet he was sure that five minutes more, and he would end up with a severe case of diabetes. 

“So, Rosie, I bet you wish Christine had stayed with the Phantom, eh. Gothic romance and all that. What do you say?” 

The blonde tensed suddenly. 

Doctor fell out of a reverie. 

Jack stopped smiling. 

The easy atmosphere in the room evaporated. 

“Rosie? What’s the matter?” 

The girl’s shoulders seemed to tense even more, clearly showing her rigid posture. 

“No, Jack. It’s nothing. It’s just...I’m happy Christine had the right mind to stay away from Erik.” 

Doctor’s eyes zooms in on Rose. He seems to have picked her discomfort, too. 

“And why is that?” 

“Don’t you see it?” Suddenly, the blonde’s posture turns into attacking mode instead of defensive one. “He’s totally abusing her!” 

Jack recoils from the vehemence of her voice and raises his hands in surrender. 

“Okay, it’s obviously a sensitive topic. Okay.” Jack is stammering, unsure of what to say. He’s looking at Doctor helplessly in hopes to get some aid. He’s the expert when it comes to Rose. 

Doctor is only ready to help. The concern for his youngest companion is clearly evident on his face. 

“What’s the matter, Rose? Why are you upset?” 

The girl is silent for several moments. The tension coursing through her body leaves abruptly, leaving her sluggish and tired. Her eyes have the faraway look and seem almost too old all of a sudden. 

“No. No, it’s nothing...I’m sorry for snapping at you, Jack. I’ll just...I’ll just go to bed. I’m still knackered, I guess, after the cold. Is it okay for me to leave, Doctor?” She asks, and the question falls unnaturally from usually buoyant and cheerful girl. 

She waits for his reply, and Doctor is gobsmacked. This isn’t like Rose at all, but the girl is waiting for him to grant his permission. 

Doctor nods. 

Rose withdraws from the room. 

Jack feels the strong urge to protect rising in his chest. 

He also feels confused. Wouldn’t all the girls want Christine to stay with the dark and broody Phantom? To heal his broken soul, if not his disfigured body? Jack knows from his time with the Agency that violence is still romanticised in the beginning of the 21st century. 

Well, obviously, not by Rose. Typical, if you ask him. The girl’s too smart for her young age, and sometimes her eyes betray the wisdom in them. The wisdom too painful and scarring. 

Doctor stays in place several minutes longer, but Jack knows it is a matter of time before he follows Rosie to her sanctuary – her bedroom. Rose is very private about her personal space, and Jack has yet to see her room with his own eyes. Doctor confessed that he only went there for the first time after three months in their traveling together, and only because the TARDIS was worried after Rose had a particularly long crying session. Even then Rose refused to let the Time Lord in. Actually, it was the Time Ship that opened the lock for Doctor. Rose was not amused but felt grateful, too; she needed someone’s presence near at that moment. 

Jack is curious, that’s for sure, and he thought about peeking while Rose is at the galley or in the library with the Time Lord, but he respected the teenage girl’s boundaries. Scratch that. He respected the teenage girl. 

Besides, he didn’t think the TARDIS wouldn’t prevent him from snooping around. The Old Girl seemed to love Rose, and protected her vehemently many times when the mission got too risky and dangerous for the human girl. It was a source of endless amusement, really, the way TARDIS trapped Rose somewhere effectively by erasing the doors, because the teen was too stubborn to listen to Doctor’s reasoning. Or the way TARDIS led Rose into a garden where the flowers’ smell had sedative quality, so the girl would fall asleep for enough time for Doctor and Jack to join resistances to overthrow patriarchism or to save planets where pandemic took place (because Rose’s body was fragile in comparison to Doctor’s and Jack’s physiology of the 51st century human.) 

The men were resistant to a large number of diseases. Rose wasn’t. But she was headstrong, that she was. 

Jack sighs heavily and looks at his pocket watch. It’s far too early to go to sleep (not that he needed 6-8 hours a day, 4 would be plenty for him – the Time Agency tampered with his biology), and he couldn’t join the other two on the ship. Better to give them privacy. 

And so, he decided to watch another movie. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose reveals the story of her troubled past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya!  
> I neglected a lot of my responsibilities to write this chapter, and I have no regrets whatsoever :) so now I have a whole night to plan the lessons I need to give. Please, feel free to share what you think and forgive my mistakes and the wrong use of words (how I wish I could install a dictionary of synonyms in my brain!)  
> And thank you for reading too <3

Doctor doesn’t think twice before setting the course for Rose’s bedroom. It is obvious she wants to hide away from something from her past, and he doesn’t judge her. He knows the feeling well. 

She is in her room, as he predicted. The TARDIS unlocks the door to her bedroom, sensing that the human girl inside is in need of comfort. Doctor is only happy to provide it. 

Doctor raps the knuckles of his hands on the wood, creating a semblance of choice. He will come inside no matter what, but he has to act gentlemanly with Rose. 

Honestly! Human women and their obsession over privacy! He sometimes (very rarely) wishes that Rose was a little like Jack, who has no qualms about his body. State of undress is never a problem for the former Time Agent, and he can easily overcome any accidental cases of the TARDIS messing around, switching places the doors to the dressing rooms; or when the trio is stripped from their possessions on planets where wearing clothes is illegal. Rose would sooner be executed than be undressed in front of anyone. If Doctor hadn’t saved them by knocking out the police on said planet, he is sure Rose would throw a huge tantrum. And then got executed. 

So, he opens the door. He half expects Rose to be crying, but the blonde is sitting on the covers of her bed, simply staring into space. She acts as if she doesn’t notice him. 

Okay, then, he will give her some time. 

He comes through the door, watching Rose carefully as he pads across the room to sit in front of her vanity. Oh, this is something else he cannot understand about human women (only human women, because he swears there are no other living beings in the universe who obsess over their appearance that much). Doctor has to give it to the TARDIS; she made a posh vanity for his young companion. He knows for sure that his trusty ship favours Rose more than some of his previous companions, and he also knows that the TARDIS tries to compensate the things Rose was deprived of while growing up at the Estates. 

Oh, he knows Jackie tried her best. He also knows that Rose’s mother thinks that the reason her daughter fled monotonous life because there was something Jackie failed to do. Like finding a permanent job with a stable income. Or not nagging Rose about having airs and graces because of her position in “Henrik’s”. Or even because Jackie couldn’t provide Rose with a father figure after Pete’s untimely death. As much as Rose wasn’t afraid of relationships and commitment – that much Jackie escaped any possibility of setting down with anyone after her husband. 

So, the vanity is nice, that with the lightbulbs to provide better view for applying make-up and whatever it is teenagers do for their beauty routine. Rose’s bed is posh, too, and is definitely better than the one at her home (he admits he peeked into the pink monstrosity Rose calls her room back in London). The room the TARDIS provided is more refined, the colours are subdued, but still, the pink prevails. Just not the kind of pink to blind anyone. 

The girl on said bed is still silent, although her breathing is somewhat laboured, like she’s trying to ward off a panic attack. Doctor watches Rose carefully, noting dilated pupils and unusual paleness of her cheeks. Strange. She wasn’t like that when he first came into the room. He wants to sit next to the blonde, but the way Rose’s body tenses when he moves tells him to back off. 

Interesting. 

He decides to stop beating around the bush. 

“Do you want to tell me what this all is about?” 

Rose’s body coils like a spring. 

He stops breathing. 

The tears in her eyes refuse to fall. 

“Rose? Was it something Jack said? Was it something he did?” 

He knew the lad was fond of Rose and wouldn’t want to hurt her intentionally (he certainly hoped so, because the Jack he knew now was a far cry from the Jack they met back during the London Blitz.) No, Jack wouldn’t inflict pain on Rose willingly, but sometimes a careless word could break someone’s psyche in a matter of minutes. 

The girl snaps from trance jerkily. 

“Ja...Jack?” 

Doctor is worried there’s actually something wrong with Rose. She isn’t acting normally, and the breathing pattern is ragged. The splashes of red and white on her cheeks unnerve him too. 

“Yes” he says patiently. “Jack - what’s the matter, Rose? You heard me, didn’t you?” - well, there goes his patience. 

Now she’s looking at him properly, as if realising that he’s here only now. She tilts her head slightly to the right like she’s searching him. Calculating. Should she bare her soul to him? Should she shun him from her room? Well, the room isn’t technically hers, but she feels that the ship might support her on this one. 

“Well?” he implores. 

The air leaves her lungs in one swift motion. 

She closes her eyes. 

He is prepared for a confession to come. 

“It’s just that the whole situation hits too close to home”. Doctor makes an attempt at speaking, but Rose stops him with an abrupt fleek of her wrist. “Please, Doctor. Please. I’ve only got enough courage for this; I can’t deal with interruptions right now.” 

He shuts his mouth with a snap. That’s something new. Usually it’s impossible to stop the torrent of speech and questions from his Rose, and she is always open to his and Jack’s questions (although they both are considerate of her boundaries. Well, he is, Jack is borderline considerate). 

Doctor would have left the whole situation alone if not for Rose’s behaviour out if character. He doesn’t know for sure (yet), but he feels there must be a trauma. And not the childhood one. Although he and Jack like to tease Rose about her being barely out of childhood in comparison to them. And she’s constantly reminding them that she even had a job and could provide for herself, thank you very much. 

“That’s a very adult thing to do!” she would say. 

And would stick her nose in the air adoringly. 

The men would laugh it off. She would remind them that no one around the universe has problems with seeing her as a grown woman. 

The men would strain imperceptibly. Her travel companions knew perfectly well that Rose was seen as an adolescent woman through the eyes of male population of the planets they visited. Doctor and Jack were the ones to chase away the most aggressive and unrelentless blokes from Rose. 

Rose. Who is looking at him at this moment, waiting for him to recognise the rules of her game this evening. 

Doctor nods readily. 

She sighs. 

The TARDIS dims the light. 

“I don’t remember if I ever mentioned how I dropped out of school. There was this boy, Jimmy. My, was he handsome and charming. And twenty at that time. A dream come true for stupid young me.” 

Doctor wants to nudge her about the choice of words. She is still young, for heaven’s sake! Too young for the sadness in her eyes, if you ask him. 

He doesn’t. 

“I was sixteen and so in love. My God, I fell so hard I hate myself. I left everything behind. Everything. My mum, Mickey, my unsteady job as a babysitter, school, my friends. I was a bitch to them, you see, that’s the worst of it. If I fall for somebody, it always blinds me. I don’t want to see the faults, the imperfections, the differences between me and the object of my love. I don’t want to work on them, I just want to love, and be loved in return. The return part is a bitch too, although I’m working on myself these days.” 

Doctor ponders over her words. These days? Mickey’s head over heels with Rose, the boy would do a lot for Rose, and he definitely showers her with attention every time they pop back to the Estates to visit Jackie. So why is she working on herself? 

“It started out nice. Like a fairy tale. Flowers and stolen trinkets, dates at the cheap pizza place, first kisses and...” She trails off, blushing furiously, unable to meet Doctor’s eyes. “And... ah, well, well, the dancing.” 

Doctor rolls his eyes. Honestly! Humans and the taboo about talking of sex. 

Rose stares at the wall stubbornly. 

The TARDIS emits a chime that sounds suspiciously like laughing. 

“But just like in every fairy tale, the hardships came. Like the lack of money and the start of a routine of living together. There’s no romance in working 12 hours a day and doing all the house work, you know? God, I hated serving chips at local chippy. The grease and vinegar permeated everything, and I couldn’t eat chips for two years after that. I’ve lost my glamour also, working like a bloody horse. But no, I was so naïve I continued catering to Jimmy’s every need. You know, my mum still thinks he used to beat me around. She’s sure I conceal the truth because I don’t want her to worry. He didn’t, though. Never physically, I mean. He loved strong language, and he had an opinion on my body and brain, that he did.” 

Doctor feels tension coursing through his body, charging him like a bunch of wires. That simply won't do. No one should ever humiliate his Rose. 

“His fellows used to tell me to endure his behaviour a little more. ‘He’ll change, Rose. He’s tired from the rehearsals, doll. He needs a nice girl like yourself, Rosie.’ 

“You know” she drawls almost lazily “They really believed that. That he’s not a bastard – he was a bloody good actor and manipulator at that. He promised to do something with himself if I left. To jump off the roof or to slice his wrists. He even cut himself once, just for show. Scared witless, I was. Kept working and pleasing him. Until one day I saw him with a girl in a bar with his hands under her skirt. I wanted to treat Jimmy a pint or two because I’ve got great tip that day. By the way, I think it was mum’s doing. The money, I mean. She definitely asked that customer to leave me generous tip. I hadn’t been speaking to her for 5 months at that time. I still wonder how I managed that – you know more than anyone that I communicate with her all the time now.” 

Rose smiles ruefully, and Doctor chuckles heartily. It’s always a matter of arguing with them, Rose’s willingness to visit Jackie as often as possible. 

“Something snapped. Literally. It was that girl’s stockings. I remember that sound clearly” she shivers slightly. “I ran away. Jimmy didn’t even notice. I took that little I owned from his apartment and appeared at my mum’s doorstep. Bless her, she didn’t say a thing. I was a bloody mess. All tears and mascara and muttering about being second best. I don’t remember much of the week that happened after. It was like...like I was a dying fish at the bottom of the tank, flailing uselessly but not trying to fight, you know? Mum said I slept a lot, and she was the one who went to the chippy and told them I wouldn’t be working there anymore. She also drove away Jimmy with a baseball bait the only time he dared to appear at her flat. She would sit with me, just listen to me wail and stroking my hair.” 

Rose sniffles, and Doctor wishes to sit near and provide comfort. He isn’t sure Rose wants it, though. Her face is blotched, she’s wringing her arms almost painfully and still doesn’t face him. 

Then she squares her shoulders like a little warrior that she it. And giggles. 

Doctor is gobsmacked. 

Rose is smiling suddenly. 

The gloomy atmosphere leaves the room. 

“Then mum kicked my arse and told me to stop pitying myself. She thrusted a newspaper with job offerings at my hands while dyeing my hair blonde. That’s how I became how I was, I guess. Blonde and working in retail.” Rose is smiling brightly, and it’s so like her to forget the bad things so soon, and not to dwell on the tragedy of destiny. 

“Mickey was a great help too, although, please, don’t tell him that. His ego is big enough” she snickers. “Oh, dear Mickey...he coddled me so much. Still does, truth be told. The flowers, the chocolate, the jewellery, the dates, he tries so hard...” 

Doctor has a feeling that she is speaking of her best mate, not her boyfriend. He likes that thought, but doesn’t indulge in it too much. 

He thinks has no right to claim her. 

Rose wishes he did. 

Jack was right all along about the two of them. 

“But I don’t think it’ll last. It hasn’t already. And I need to stop being a coward and I need to break things off. I hate to act like Jimmy did.” She shudders. 

He finally finds it in himself to interrupt her monologue. 

“You aren’t, Rose. You could never. I know you good enough to say that you aren’t like that boy at all.” 

At last, she’s meeting his eyes. 

Icy orbs stare into amber ones intently.

The TARDIS changes the hue of the lightning from golden to reddish.

**Author's Note:**

> Please forgive me for any mistakes! Especially with the tense sequences - this is something I can't tame completely after studying English for 11 years. Let me know what you think xoxo


End file.
